There are certain principles to having your articles looking and sounding professional.
For instance, a lot of us get caught up in our passion for writing, get "on a roll," and forget we're not actually "in-person" mode.
We'll pound away on our keyboards like there's no tomorrow.
Speaking for myself, there are times I'm thinking, "Oh that's a good one!" or "Yeah! You wait until they read this.
They're going to love it.
" Then I hit "submit" and I'll wait for that approval - only to realize later that what I thought I was writing is completely different than what's actually published.
Who wrote that? I wonder, as if eZine proofers have nothing better to do than to conspire against both me and my writing skills.
After calming down I realize that it's indeed my style, my words, and my thoughts on paper - and I cringe.
...
Which brings me to my two-part article, "Five Tips to Professional Article Writing.
" Although it's not an exclusive list, it might be helpful the next time you write your article.
1.
Add depth to your writing.
- Go deep.
In other words, spell it out for the reader.
Literally.
If describing your swimming experience, tell us whether the water was cold or tepid.
If your child left for school wearing that awful sweater, tell us why you hate it so.
Is it a faded pea-green? Does it have a third sleeve? 2.
Don't put pressure on yourself to write a masterpiece.
- (Not to conflict with #1.
) This point serves as a reminder that we're not writing a Tom Clancy novel.
Most likely your material is an informative piece to assist the reader by (1) identifying a problem; and (2) solving that problem.
That's it.
Keep this thought in mind throughout the writing process and you'll strike a fine balance.
3.
Don't write above the reader's head.
- Most adults are comfortable reading between 8th and 10th grade levels.
If you start out in a superior-authoritative-know-all-of-everything voice, the reader will respond in kind by reading something else.
In other words: know your audience.
4.
Don't write in a condescending tone.
- The complement to #3.
"Comfortable" doesn't mean the reader can't read beyond the 8th and 10th grade levels; he just may not want to.
Think about the last article you read and enjoyed.
What attracted you to the article? Why was it enjoyable? While it likely made you think, you probably didn't have to decipher its meaning to get its point.
There's a difference.
5.
Kill the exclamation points!!! - When writing for business the exclamation point is rarely needed, if at all.
The exclamation point is the equivalent to typing an email in ALL CAPS.
If a 500-word article has more than two exclamation points throughout its text, the writer gives the impression he's (1) outraged; (2) extremely excited; or (3) both - a clear sign he's off his meds.
(Note: This rule does not apply to quotes, which should reflect an accurate depiction of the statement made.
) So try to apply these five key points when writing your next article, and see how their application can help to make YOUR articles POP.
You'll thank me later.
For instance, a lot of us get caught up in our passion for writing, get "on a roll," and forget we're not actually "in-person" mode.
We'll pound away on our keyboards like there's no tomorrow.
Speaking for myself, there are times I'm thinking, "Oh that's a good one!" or "Yeah! You wait until they read this.
They're going to love it.
" Then I hit "submit" and I'll wait for that approval - only to realize later that what I thought I was writing is completely different than what's actually published.
Who wrote that? I wonder, as if eZine proofers have nothing better to do than to conspire against both me and my writing skills.
After calming down I realize that it's indeed my style, my words, and my thoughts on paper - and I cringe.
...
Which brings me to my two-part article, "Five Tips to Professional Article Writing.
" Although it's not an exclusive list, it might be helpful the next time you write your article.
1.
Add depth to your writing.
- Go deep.
In other words, spell it out for the reader.
Literally.
If describing your swimming experience, tell us whether the water was cold or tepid.
If your child left for school wearing that awful sweater, tell us why you hate it so.
Is it a faded pea-green? Does it have a third sleeve? 2.
Don't put pressure on yourself to write a masterpiece.
- (Not to conflict with #1.
) This point serves as a reminder that we're not writing a Tom Clancy novel.
Most likely your material is an informative piece to assist the reader by (1) identifying a problem; and (2) solving that problem.
That's it.
Keep this thought in mind throughout the writing process and you'll strike a fine balance.
3.
Don't write above the reader's head.
- Most adults are comfortable reading between 8th and 10th grade levels.
If you start out in a superior-authoritative-know-all-of-everything voice, the reader will respond in kind by reading something else.
In other words: know your audience.
4.
Don't write in a condescending tone.
- The complement to #3.
"Comfortable" doesn't mean the reader can't read beyond the 8th and 10th grade levels; he just may not want to.
Think about the last article you read and enjoyed.
What attracted you to the article? Why was it enjoyable? While it likely made you think, you probably didn't have to decipher its meaning to get its point.
There's a difference.
5.
Kill the exclamation points!!! - When writing for business the exclamation point is rarely needed, if at all.
The exclamation point is the equivalent to typing an email in ALL CAPS.
If a 500-word article has more than two exclamation points throughout its text, the writer gives the impression he's (1) outraged; (2) extremely excited; or (3) both - a clear sign he's off his meds.
(Note: This rule does not apply to quotes, which should reflect an accurate depiction of the statement made.
) So try to apply these five key points when writing your next article, and see how their application can help to make YOUR articles POP.
You'll thank me later.
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